Suction cleaner



Aprll 3, 1945. T. A. STONER 2,372,860

SUCTION CLEANER Filed Dec. '7, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet l ZINVENTOR T/wmas A. Szoher ATTORNEY A 9 w m 7/////// April 3, T STQNER 2,372,860

SUCTION CLEANER Filed Dec. 7, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR T/wmasA. Sinner ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 3, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OVFFICE SUCTION CLEANER Thomas A. Stoner, North Canton, Ohio, assignor to The Hoover Company, North Canton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application December '7, 1939, Serial No. 307,967

, chambers, the conduit I8 is provided with a pair 5 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in suction cleaners in general and more particularly to an improved form of mufller to reduce the operating noise of the cleaner.

An object of the invention is to provide a new and improved suction cleaner. Another object is to provide a new and improved mufller for suction cleaners. A further object is to provide a resonant mufiler for attenuating undesirable sound waves, to thereby reduce the noise caused by operating the cleaner. Another object is to provide a resonant muiller that is capable of attenuating sound waves in dirt-laden air. A further object is to provide a resonant mulller that is easily disassembled for removing foreign material from the resonant chambers. Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the specification and drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view partly in section illustrating one embodiment of the resonant muffler attached to the exhaust of'a suction cleaner;

Figure 2 is a disassembled view mutller shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side elevational'view partly in section of another embodiment of the invention,

Figure 4 is a broken exploded perspective view of the muiiler shown in Figure 3, and

Figure 5 is a side elevational view, Partly in section, of a suction cleaner embodying the invention.

The embodiment of the invention disclosed in Figures 1, 2' and 5 comprises a suction cleaner or the resonant having a casing l provided with a nozzle communicating with a fan chamber 6 having a fan I operated by a motor 8 for discharging dirtladen air through an exhaust passageway ll into a dust-filtering bag l2,

A resonant muffler, indicated generally at l5, includes a casing composed of two sections l6 and I1, the latter being provided with a conduit 18 having spaced radial walls I9, 20 and 2|, The

projecting portion 31 of the conduit l8.

casing section I6 includes a cylindrical shell i 3 which encloses the radial walls and is removably secured thereto by a pair of nut and bolt connections 22 pivotally supported on the casing end wall 19 and extending through recesses 23 in a flange 24 on the shell IS. The shell l6 cooperates with the radial walls and the conduit I 8 to form resonant chambers 25 and 26 concentric about the conduit I 8, the resonant chamber 26 being of less volume since the partition wall 20 is spaced a less distance from the end wall 2| than from the opposite end wall 19.

In order to provide entrances to the resonant of annularly arranged openings 21 and 28 communicating .respectively with the resonant chambers 25 and 26. The cumulated area of the openings 21 and 28 are of a predetermined area with respect to the volumes of their respective resonant chambers 25 and 26, to attenuate sound waves in different bands of frequencies.

The resonant muilier is pivotally connected tothe cleaner casing by means of a pair of arms 29 extending from the casing end wall l9 and which are pivotally mounted on a pin 20 supported on spaced arms 3| projecting from a member 32 removably attached to the exhaust flange 9 of the cleaner casingill by a pair of bolt and nut connections 33. A torsion spring 34 is incorporated in the hinge and supports part of the weight of the muilier I! to bias the latter in an upwardly inclined direction. In order to connect the muffler with the exhaust passageway H a flexible bellows 35 is removably attached in the opening 36 in the member 32 and the opposite end is detachably mounted in an annular groove in the The dust-filtering bag I2 is removably supported at its lower end on the muiller casing shell I: by a clamp 38, the muiller being disposed within the bag l2 which is supported at its upper end by the unshown cleaner handle.

In operation, assume the cleaner is removing dirt from the surface being cleaned. The sound waves produced by operating the suction cleaner are carried by the dirt-laden air through the flexible bellows 35 into the muliler exhaust 18, where the sound waves pass through the entrances 21 and 28 into the resonant chambers 25 and 26 respectively. Due to the relative areas of the entrances 21 and 28 to the volumes of their respective resonant chambers 25 and 26 the latter will function to attenuate the sound waves over predetermined bands of frequencies, whereby the noise produced by the suction cleaner is reduced to a minimum. The dirt-laden air is discharged into the dust bag 12 and the dirt accumulates about the outer wall l3 of the muilier without entering the latter or contacting the flexible bellows 35, whereby the latter remains clean and the flexing thereof is not impaired by the accumulation of dirt. If it is desired to clean the bag l2 the clamp 38 is loosened and the bag removed from the mufller casing.

Any foreign material that collects in the resonant chambers 25 and 28 is removed by slipping the outer shell I3 from the inner casing I! to thereby uncover annular openings which expose each resonant chamber, as shown in Figure 2, whereby'the foreignmatter is easily removed.

Another embodiment of the invention is disclosed in Figures 3 and 4 included in the suction cleaner shown in Figure 5 comprising a casing I!) provided with a nozzle 5, fan chamber 5 and motor 8, which operates a' fan I to discharge the dirt-laden air removed from the surface being cleaned through an exhaust passageway H.

A resonant mufller 52 is pivotally connected to the cleaner and includes a casing composed of two sections 53 and 54, the latter having a conduit 55 provided with'spaced radially extending walls 55, 51 and 58. The casing section 53 is of truncated conical configuration and encloses the radial walls and is removably connected thereto by means of screws 59 which extend through a flange Bil on the shell 53 and are threaded into apertures H on the end wall 58. The shell 53 cooperates with the radial walls and conduit 55 to form a pair of resonant chambers 63 and 64, the latter being of less volume since the partition wall 51 is arranged. mo e closely to the end wall 58 than to the end wall 56. An entrance to each of the resonant chambers 53 and 64 is provided by the openings 65 and 66 respectively in the conduit 55, the openings being substantially circular with the exception of a solid portion 5! in the conduit 55. Each of the entrances is covered by a perforated metal member 69. The entrances 65 and 66 .are of pre-determined area with respect to the volume of their respective resonant chambers to thereby attenuate sound waves in different bands of frequencies.

' In order to pivotally connect the resonant muffler to the cleaner casing, the muiiier casing section 54- is provided with spaced arms pivotally supported on a pin ll carried in spaced arms 12 on a member 13 removably attached to the cleaner casing ID by a pair of bolt and nut conasvasco 80 and are moved with the cleaner handle. The paper bag 80 is easily removed from the mufller conduit 55 by manipulating the clamp 8 I, and is removed from the outer bag 84 through an unshown opening therein.

If foreign material collects in the resonant chambers s3 and 64 it is easily removed by slipnections 14. A torsion spring 15 supports part of the weight of the resonant muflier 52 to bias the latter in an upward direction. The muiller conduit 55 is-' connected to the exhaust passage II by a flexible bellows 16 having one end detachably supported in a groove in the member 13 and its opposite end in an annular recess in a projecting portion ll of the muiller conduit.

A dust filtering bag 80 of paper or the like, has

its lower end removably supported in a clamp 8i which is detachably supported on the projecting portion 83 of the mufller conduit 55 by means of a bayonet connection 82. An outer bag 84 of cloth or the like, is arranged about the inner bag and hasits lower end removably securedto a flange 85 provided on the member 13 to thereby co pletely enclose the resonant mufiier 52 and flexible bellows 16.

In operation, assume the suction cleaner is discharging dirt-laden air into the paper bag 80. The sound waves produced by the operation of the suction cleaner are carried by the dirt-laden air into the muiller conduit and pass through the entrances and 66 into the resonant chambers 53 and 64. Due to the relation of the areas of the entrances. 55 and 66 to the volumes of their respective resonant chambers 63 and 64. the latter function to attenuate sound waves in predetermined bands of frequencies, whereby the noise produced by the suction cleaner is effectively reduced. The dirt laden air is discharged into the paper bag 80 and the foreign material is retained therein to prevent accumulation of dirt about the flexible bellows l6 and thus avoid impairment of flexing of the latter when the bags ping the shell 53 away from the inner casing 54 to thereby uncover the annular openings to the resonant chambers whereby the latterare easily cleaned.

I claim:

1. In a suction cleaner, a cleaner body having an exhaust passageway for discharging dirt removed from the surface being cleaned, a soundreducing resonant muiller comprising inner and outer casings, said inner casing having a conduit communicating with said exhaust passageway for conveying the dirt-laden air through said mufiler, means cooperating with 'said inner and outer casings to define a resonant chamber, means defining an opening in said conduit for connecting said resonant chamber with said dirt-laden air stream to attenuate the sound waves in said dirtladen air stream, adirt-flltering bag supported by said resonant mufller to receive the dirt-laden air discharged by said muiller, means at one end of said inner casing for connecting said muflier to said cleaner body, and means for removing said outer casing from said inner casing to remove the foreign material in the resonant chamber without disturbing the connection of said dirt bag with said muffler. RI

2. In a suction cleaner, a cleaner casing having an exhaust passageway through which the suction cleaner expels air laden with dirt and surface litter removed from a surface being cleaned, a bag for filtering the dirt-laden air, a resonant mufller movably attached to said casing for movement between substantially vertical and horizontal positions and formed with a resonant chamber, said mufller having a conduit for conveying the dirt-laden air from said exhaust pasif sageway and, opening interiorly into said bag,

passes through said conduit, characterized in that said suction cleaner forces air, dirt and surface litter through said conduit and past said perforations in all angular positions of said muffler.

3. In a suction cleaner, acleaner casing having a nozzle, an exhaust passageway and suctio creating means for drawing through said nozzle air laden with dirt and surface litter from a surface being cleaned and to force said air, dirt and surface litter through said passageway, a bag for receiving the dirt-laden air from said passageway, a sound-reducing resonant mufiler attached to said casing for movement between substantially vertical and horizontal positions and having a resonant chamber and a conduit communicating with said passageway, and said con duit having perforations in its side walls out of alignment with the direction of movement of said air, dirt and surface litter for passage of the sound waves into said resonant chamber to attenuate said sound waves, said suction creating means functioning to force said air, dirt and surface litter through said conduit with sumcient speed as to move said air, dirt and surface litter into said bag in all angular positions of said muliier and prevent the entrance of said dirt and surface litter into said resonant chamber through said perforations.

for the separation of said removable muiiier casing sections to expose said resonant chamber for the removal of foreign material therein.

5. In a suction cleaner, a cleaner casing having an exhaust passageway for discharging the dirtladen air removed from the surface being cleaned, a bag for receiving the dirt-laden air, a muflier casing having a conduit communicating with said exhaust passageway to receive and conduct said dirt-laden air to said has. said conduit communicating with the interior of said muiiler casing to form therewith a resonant muiiier chamber to attenuate the sound waves in said dirt-laden air as the dirt-laden air passes through said conduit into said bag, and means for exposing said resonant chamber for the removal of foreign material therein.

THOMAS A. BTONER. 

